1) By the end of the lesson students will be able to design their own species that has certain characteristics/traits in order to survive in the environment of their choosing.

--> What are the species advantages or disadvantages in the environment that you chose. Explain why or why not your species survived.

2) By the end of the lesson students will be able to adapt their environments and see if it changes the survival of their species. (Students will create their own environments)

--> Compare and contrast the disadvantages and advantages of your species in the new environment.

3) How does the species adapt to the new environment?

--> Students will be able to explain how their species will be able to adapt to the new environment.

Assessment Questions for Unit

1. Imagine that you can create your own species, make sure to give it some characteristics and traits that we have learned about. Next, choose an environment for your new species. Where will they work best, a colder or warmer climate, a desert or a rainforest? After choosing your climate, please explain how the characteristics and traits you have chosen will help the species survive in the climate.

2. With the same species we have created before, a new climate will be assigned at random for it. What issues do you think will arise for the species? Are some of its previous advantages now considered disadvantages, or vice-versa? Make sure to write about both new advantages and disadvantages!

3. Now that the species has been in a new climate for a long time, what new characteristics or traits will evolve throughout generations? What have previous traits “turned into” and how will this help the species survive? Be sure to be specific about how the new traits adapt into the new traits!